The Patrick Trust
Charity 213849
Overview
Summary
The Patrick Trust appears to be a place-based grant-maker whose role has evolved from a specific disease-research memorial into a broader source of charitable capital for organisations supporting young people, older people and other beneficiaries in the West Midlands. Its distinctive contribution is not direct delivery but selective resourcing: it can connect private philanthropic assets, trustee expertise and local voluntary organisations. The available evidence suggests a deliberately bounded funder, balancing a broad legal charitable remit with a much narrower geographic and beneficiary focus.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
King’s Norton North
Confidence: low
The supplied evidence identifies a published contact address in Birmingham, but does not establish meaningful operational activity in King's Norton North.
- The Patrick Trust website, Home
The Trust publishes a contact address at The Lakeside Centre in Kings Norton, Birmingham. - Charity Commission Register, contact information and governance records
The Charity Commission records the same Birmingham contact address, while also stating that the charity does not own and/or lease land or property.
Remaining uncertainties
- The Trust is principally a grant-maker rather than a direct service provider. The available evidence does not identify the Birmingham wards in which its current grantees deliver activity, so its grant-funded reach within the city cannot be mapped reliably at ward level.
- The Lakeside Centre is clearly a published contact address, but it may be an administrative or correspondence base rather than a dedicated operational site; the Charity Commission records no owned or leased land or property.
- The website lists a selection of supported charities, but does not date the grants or establish the locations and current extent of each funded programme. These relationships therefore do not justify additional Birmingham operational-area records.
- The Charity Commission reports Birmingham City among the places where the Trust operates, but this is best understood as city-level grant-making reach rather than evidence of direct delivery across every Birmingham neighbourhood.
Additional evidence needed
- The most recent trustees' annual report or grant schedule identifying grants awarded, recipient organisations, dates and the locations of funded activity.
- Confirmation from the Trust of whether The Lakeside Centre is a staffed administrative office, a shared office/correspondence address, or another type of base.
- A current list of Birmingham grantees and the wards or places in which their Trust-funded work is delivered.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Disability
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- Other Charitable Purposes
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A memorial trust has become a flexible local funder
The Trust appears to retain an origin in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research while having broadened its practical funding strategy as its financial capacity grew.
Why it matters
This helps explain both its potential long-term commitment to disability-related causes and its wider relevance across West Midlands civic life. Its history may shape funding decisions even where current eligibility is broad.
Show evidence
“The Trust was founded in 1962 after Joseph and Ruth Patrick lost their son Andrew, who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.”
Source:Organisation“The Trust was initially created to fund research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.”
Source:Organisation“As the Trust's financial position strengthened it diversified grants to a wider range of charities.”
Source:Organisation
Geography is a stronger boundary than charitable purpose
Although its legal objects and stated charitable fields are broad, the Trust appears to operate primarily as a West Midlands-focused funder with a clear exclusion of applicants outside that area.
Why it matters
This means its role is likely best understood within a regional funding ecology rather than as a general UK grant-maker. Local organisations may be its principal route to impact.
Show evidence
“The charity makes grants and donations to other charities registered with the Charity Commission.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity will only consider other charities based in the West Midlands.”
Source:Charity Commission“The Trust currently seeks to help charities supporting young people, older people and those in the West Midlands.”
Source:Organisation
Its influence is likely relational rather than service-facing
The Trust appears to affect communities indirectly through grants to charities, rather than through its own frontline programmes. Its trustees' specialist backgrounds may be an important but unexamined part of how it selects and supports partners.
Why it matters
Understanding the Trust requires mapping who it funds and how decisions are made, not only listing its stated causes. Its grant relationships may reveal overlooked connections between youth, ageing, disability and poverty-focused organisations.
Show evidence
“The charity makes grants to organisations and sponsors or undertakes research.”
Source:Charity Commission“Grants in excess of £6m have been allocated to UK registered charities.”
Source:Organisation“The current board of trustees has specialities in the fields the Trust aims to support.”
Source:Organisation
- Which West Midlands charities receive funding, and whether support is concentrated in particular places or themes.
- Whether Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or medical research remains a material funding priority.
- How grant sizes, selection decisions and repeat funding are determined.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent grant awards, amounts, dates and recipient organisations.
- Funding guidelines, annual reports and accounts showing expenditure by cause and geography.
- Trustee biographies and evidence of partnerships or non-financial support for grantees.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
The charity makes grants/donations to other charities registered with the Charity Commission as per the above categories. Please note that the charity will ONLY consider other charities based in the West Midlands. Any other area in the UK is considered outside the scope of the charity. Please do not expend charity resources if you fall outside these geographical areas or fail to meet criteria.
Charity objects
FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES OR FOR CHARITABLE ORGANISTATIONS, INSTITUTIONS OR TRUSTS TO BE APPLIED FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES ONLY.